Ford Reaffirms Stance Against Diesel F-150

In light of its competitors building diesel variants of their full-size light-duty pickups, Ford is unwavering with a gas-only engine lineup.

Ford says it takes too long to amortize the extra cost of a diesel engine.

Chrysler’s U.S. sales chief, Reid Bigland disagrees, saying, “We see it delivering a reasonable payback time, especially when you consider how long the average truck buyer keeps their vehicle. It won’t hurt when it comes to meeting the mileage requirements of CAFE rules either.”

Chrysler is also excited about their diesel Ram 1500 helping them stand out in the competitive segment.

Available late this year, the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel with its 3.0-liter V6 will generate 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. The diesel option will lighten pockets by $2,800 when compared to the Ram with a Hemi.

A little further down the product pipeline, Nissan is working with Cummins in developing a 2.8-liter four-banger diesel for their next-generation Titan. They’re expecting the 2.8 liter’s output to be in the neighborhood of 210 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque.

How do you feel about the competition going diesel? Does the F-150 fan feel left out, or rebellious? Let us know.